Edward Irving Koch, a quintessential New York Jew who was a passionate defender of Jewish causes and was the city's most famous political figure for four decades, died early Friday morning at New York-Presbyterian Hospital at Columbia University. He was 88 and had been in and out of hospitals in recent weeks with respiratory and other problems. The cause of death was congestive heart failure.

Syms clothing company and its affiliate, Filene’s Basement, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

"This has been a challenging time for Syms and Filene's Basement," Syms Corp. CEO Marcy Sims said Wednesday in announcing the bankruptcy. "We have been faced with increased competition from large department stores that now offer the same brands as our stores at similar discounts."